Newspaper Page Text
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THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2008
Volunteer opportunities that are available
State offers new vital records system
To be listed in the volunteer
column, send information to
AngieEditor@aol.com or mail it
to: Angela Gary, The Banks County
News, P.O. Box 920, Homer, Ga.
30547.
The following are volunteer
opportunities in Banks County and
the surrounding area:
•Piedmont CASA volunteers
speak for children who are in fos
ter care. For more information, call
the CASA office at 706-387-6375.
•The Banks County Adult
Literacy Center is seeking volun
teer teachers. They especially need
math tutors, including the areas
of introductory algebra, geometry
and Algebra I. Tutors are needed
on Tuesdays and Thursdays from
6-8 p.m. For more information,
call 706-677-4302.
•BJC Medical Center Auxiliary
is seeking volunteers. For more
information, call 706-335-1199.
•Civil Air Patrol: cadets, ages
sixth grade through 18 years old,
participate in search and rescue
missions and learn how to fly
airplanes. Senior members teach
cadets and students at middle and
high schools and can also work
with emergency services. Contact
Luther McCoy, 706-677-1490.
•Adult learning center at Lanier
Technical College satellite campus
706-335-1931.
•Hope Resource Center: cri
sis pregnancy support center,
706-367-5304.
•Action: help package and dis
tribute food to low-income families
and the elderly, 706-367-9599.
•Christian Outreach Food Bank:
work in warehouse, 335-6084.
•Girl Scouts: needs troop lead
ers, assistant leaders, trainers
and recruiters. Call Terri Bear,
706-548-7297.
•Boy Scouts of America,
Northeast Georgia Council: volun
teers need to be troop leaders and
assistants, 706-548-1435.
•AIDS Coalition of Northeast
Georgia: help with information line,
office support, the buddy program
and helping hands, 706-542-2437.
•American Red Cross, East
Georgia Chapter: needs help with
disaster relief and blood drives and
needs first aid and CPR instructors,
706-353-1645.
•American Cancer Society:
assistance with special events,
706-549-4893.
•American Heart Association:
assistance with special events,
706-549-0939.
•BJC Nursing Facility: needs
teen and adult volunteers to help
with various activities and to visit
with the residents. Tracy Jones,
706-335-1305.
•Children’s Advocacy Center:
assist with clerical work in office,
provide child care during vari
ous group meetings and solicit
donations of snacks, drinks, paper
products and various children’s
items. Tina Grubbs, director,
770-868-1900.
•Peace Place: various opportu
nities at the shelter for battered
women and their children, Marilyn,
770-307-3633.
•Maysville Elementary School:
read to children, Jane Scales,
706-652-2241.
•Our Daily Bread: Athens
urban ministry soup kitchen,
706-353-6647.
•Sandy Creek Park: several vol
unteer opportunities, including
monthly hikes and canoeing trips to
pick up trash. The park also needs
volunteers to supervise children
during the monthly special pro
grams and events the park offers.
Sandy Creek Park has volunteer
opportunities available for anyone
willing to do office work or help
with publications. Contact the park
at 706-613-3615.
•Athens Area Humane Society:
help with special events and hands-
on work in the shelter, Lisa Klein,
706-353-CATS (2287).
•Community Connection of
Northeast Georgia: work on infor
mation research and database and
directory updating, 706-353-1313.
•Special Olympics: needs assis
tance for athletic events, Kathy
Smith, 706-548-3550.
•State Botanical Gardens of
Georgia: needs tour guides, people
to greet guests and work in the gift
shop, greenhouse and at special
events, 706-542-6195.
•Athens Regional Medical
Center: help at information desk,
in admissions, at the gift shop,
mailroom and at special events,
706-354-3510.
•St. Mary’s Hospital: help at
information desk, in admissions, at
the gift shop and at the mailroom,
706-354-3169.
•Athens Area Homeless Shelter:
assist with preparing and serving
meals, childcare, and the shelter is
also in need of drivers with a truck,
706-354-0423.
•Salvation Army: assist with pre
paring and serving meals, help in
thrift shop and at special events
held in December, 706-543-5350.
•St. Mary’s Hospice: needs vol
unteers to provide additional sup
port and assistance to terminally ill
patients and their families, Geneva
Burton, 706-355-7711.
•Friends of the Arboretum, State
Arboretum of Georgia/Thompson
Mills Forest, Braselton, seeks volun
teers to help maintain trails through
the forest and to help with educa
tional programs, Warnell School
of Forest Recourses, University of
Georgia, 706-542-2686.
•VistaCare: volunteer to assist
and participate in the nurturing of
the physical, spiritual and emo
tional well-being of patients and
their families, 767 Oglethorpe
Ave., Athens, Kathy Branch,
877-228-9888.
•Georgia Museum of Arts: needs
tour guides, museum shop assis
tance and assistance with the
summer art outreach program,
706-542-0450.
The Georgia Department of
Human Resources, Division
of Public Health, Office of Vital
Records has implemented a new
system that will significantly reduce
the length of time it takes Georgians
to obtain official copies of birth and
death certificates.
The Vital Events Information
System (VEIS) is an electronic reg
istration system of vital records that
now allows constituents to receive
copies of their vital events within
a few days — compared to weeks
with the old paper-based system.
The system also improves the quali
ty and accuracy of vital events data.
“The new system allows us to pro
vide quality and timely customer ser
vice to Georgians who need to obtain
official copies of their vital records,”
said Dr. Stuart Brown, director of
the Division of Public Health. “The
Vital Events Information System
not only decreases constituent wait
time but it also allows for increased
accuracy and completeness.”
Feb. 7, marks the eighth annual
observance of National Black HIV/
AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD).
This national mobilization effort
is designed to encourage African
Americans across the United States
to get educated, get tested, get
involved and get treated for HIV/
AIDS.
Special events such as free HIV/
AIDS testing, prayer breakfasts,
town hall meetings and memorial
services will be held throughout the
country.
While African Americans represent
approximately 13 percent of the U.S.
population, the Centers for Disease
The Vital Events Information
System (VEIS) began as a pilot
project in April 2007. It was rolled
out statewide in August of 2007,
with an initial focus on birth regis
tration.
The pilot stage for death registra
tion began in November and will be
rolled out statewide in February.
Prior to VEIS, it took as long as
six to eight weeks for births to be
registered in the system and made
available to customers. With the
new system, these vital records are
registered and produced per a cus
tomer’s request within an average
of 13 days.
The new electronic system not
only focuses on reducing the time
vital records are available to cus
tomers, but it provides more reliable
data as well. Vital records data is
often used by key partners such as
the Division of Family and Children
Services and parents to help make
public health decisions for at-risk
children. Accurate information is
Control and Prevention (CDC)
reports that the group accounts for
almost half of the nation’s AIDS
cases.
According to the National Center
for Health Statistics 2006 Report,
HIV/AIDS is one of the top 10
leading causes of death for African
Americans; and in the same year
African Americans accounted for
more than half of estimated new
HIV infections in the United States.
“Statistics show that African
Americans have been disproportion
ately affected by HIV/AIDS since
the epidemic’s beginning some 25
years ago,” said Dr. John Robertson,
also imperative for families who
have suffered a loss and need to
obtain death certificates for insur
ance purposes.
With VEIS, the Office of Vital
Records is now able to retrieve accu
rate data from vital records clerks in
hospitals and other sources. If an
error occurs either on a birth or
death certificate, it can now be cor
rected within the system eliminating
the need to issue custodial copies to
local offices.
Other features of the Vital Events
Information System include:
•Certified copies of vital events
now available in all Georgia coun
ties.
•Local custodians can issue certi
fied copies of vital records.
•Registration of paternity acknowl
edgments at hospitals without
delay.
For more information about the
Office of Vital Records, visit: http://
health.state.ga.us/program/vitalre-
cords/index.com.
executive director of National Black
Alcoholism and Addictions Council,
one of the lead organizations for
NBHAAD.
Locally, area churches are being
asked to share important informa
tion about HIV/AIDS testing, infor
mation and awareness with those in
their congregations. Local health
departments also have information
about HIV/AIDS and confidential
testing and counseling is available
for residents in our area.
For more information on National
Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
2008, visit the website at www.
blackaidsday.org.
Please Recycle this Newspaper!!!
National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day set Feb. 7
Girl Scout cookies are on sale through Feb.
Girl Scout cookies are now on
sale, and will be sold door-to-door
until the end of February and then
will be available for purchase at
booth sales around the area.
This year, the Girl Scouts have
announced two new cookie flavors
— the Lemon Creme Chalet and a
chocolate chip cookie that is sugar
free. In addition, girls will also be
selling Samoas, Trefoils, Tagalongs,
Thin Mints, All-Abouts, and Do-Si-
Dos. Cookies are $3.50 a box and
a portion of the sales benefit local
troops.
The Girl Scout Cookie Program
— an integral part of Girl Scouting’s
Business and Economic Literacy
initiative for girls ages 6-17 —
provides finance, marketing, and
public speaking skills, along with
experiences that build girls’ self
confidence and help them develop
their own personal leadership style,
according to the organization.
Through the Girl Scout Cookie
Program, girls manage inventory, set
goals, learn money management and
develop marketing skills. Essentially,
the girls run their own business. The
entire troop sets a goal and follows
a plan leading toward that goal.
Girl Scout troops use funds from
the cookie activity to fund a service
project or to plan for a trip.
To volunteer, join as a member, or
make a donation, call Girl Scouts of
Northeast Georgia at 706-548-7297
or 770-536-8656.
CATERING
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Pricing varies with size of party.
Starting at only $6.00 per person.
IT'S GONNA
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LOCATED IN HOME
DEPOT SHOPPING
CENTER
Monday
Buy one burger combo,
Get one burger combo FREE!
Tuesday
Buy one get one WINGS!
(Plain or tossed in sauce)
10, 20, 30, 50 or 100 pieces
Wednesday
4 wings and 4 tenders
served with fries $5.99
Thursday
Chopped BBQ Chicken Plate with fries and
a regular drink $4.99
Friday
Full Rack of Ribs with regular fries $9.99
with purchase of a large drink!
Saturday
Full Rack of Ribs with regular fries $9.99
with purchase of a large drink!
Sunday
One FREE kid meal (age 10 and younger)
with each purchase of any plate and
regular beverage.
Specials available while supplies last
Specials cannot be used with any other discounts, coupons, or offers!
216 Steven B. Tanger Blvd.
Commerce, GA 30529
706-335-22S5
Shane's
Rib Shack
DINE IN OR TAKE OUT
Bring Shane's home for dinner!
Call in your order and the Shack
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